Archive for the ‘bareMinerals’ Category
It’s been a while since I made a video on YouTube (erm, September last year actually), so I thought I’d make a new one since I actually have some subscribers and not just one – we are talking double figures! Honestly it’s such hard work and takes hours, I don’t know how other bloggers do it (I’m in awe of you).
So this is a little video of some of my favourite skincare products and I’ve even had a go at some fancy editing shizzle. I forgot to say thank you for watching (that is if you play it and actually make it to the end without skipping) so I am saying it now…thank you. Right, I need a lie-down now…
BareMinerals. Whenever I hear that name, I instantly think of their their infamous tap and swirl foundation. And their no nonsense “No parabens, no binders, no fillers, no harsh chemicals, no kidding” promise.
Other than their powdered foundation and their mascara (which is brilliant), I’ve never tried any other bareMinerals cosmetics. I had dismissed bareMineral’s make-up range because collectively it didn’t strike me as something which would give me what I wanted on the basis that their foundation promotes the natural, barely-wearing-any-make-up look.
However bareMinerals have pushed the boat out by taking their popular loose eyeshadows and reformatting them into 22 eyeshadow duos and 4 quads in pressed format, making it much more easier to manage and apply.
Seeing these new gems certainly piqued my interest when I was perusing in their boutique recently and when bareMinerals kindly sent me a selection to try, I was excited.
Firstly the packaging is superb. The eyeshadows are pressed in a soft black, almost rubber-like material compact. I love the feel and design of them: lightweight yet secure and very slim that they’ll slip into your make-up bag with ease. Inside the compact comes with a big mirror and a miniature applicator.
Below is how they look when I had a play with them… (I apologise for the messy work – was in a hurry!)
Quad The Soundtrack comprises of shades Rhythm (buttercream), Louder (burnished copper), Remix (burnished gold) and Speaker Box (shimmering gunmetal and is a perfect mix of rich autumn shades.
Duo Alter Ego is my favourite partnership: Wicked (a shimmery pale green) with Daring (mauve). When blended together the latter morphs into a deep emerald green. Stunning and distinctive, it reminds me of Nars’s Dogon. Look at it! Isn’t it beautiful?
with flash
The above shot is what I mean by the mauve looking emerald green when blended with Daring (taken with flash).
I screwed my face up at The Honeymoon Phase. Why? Well Giddy is a powdery pale pink that does not bode well with my skin tone so I was apprehensive about wearing it with Do Not Disturb, a slate grey with gold speckles (yes, more my type).
It is very powdery and pressing it onto my lids resulted in my fears coming true but when it settles it transforms into a soft, dusky pink/lilac with the grey. Just a small amount of Do Not Disturb is needed though I imagine it will look stunning when layered up for a dark, smokey look.
OK I take it back about Alter Ego, this one is The Vision and it is a vision to behold. Illusion is a pale matt aqua green and Mirage is be-au-ti-ful irridescent pearl shadow. It is a brownish moss colour but looks purple when blended against and Illusion. Together these two are an electric combination.
The Scenic Route features Breathtaking, a white with gold shimmer and Spectacular, a light golden olive.
Pigmentation on these eyeshadows is amazing. They’re so soft and creamy (but do not crumble), stay on the brush and blend beautifully. The shades may look odd but they surprisingly contrast so well (like the Nars duo palettes).
The compacts are cute and the colours are vivid and versatile. They can be worn with a day look (as demonstrated above) or you can create smokey eyes for the evening. That’s something I am looking forward to trying.
I’ve never tried bareMinerals’ loose eyeshadows and to be honest, was dubious about how mineral based eye make-up would hold up but this is love. They are long wearing (some of these pictures were taken after 6 hours). I used a primer and a base so the colours popped more but that’s just a habit of mine.
BareMinerals READY eyeshadow duos are priced at £19 and the quads are £29. They are available to buy at www.bareminerals.co.uk, in their Boutique stores and their concession counters.
*PR samples*
When I popped into bareMinerals’ boutique shop recently, I was recommended to try their Active Cell Renewal Night Serum and was kindly given a sample. I have got on very well with their Deep Cleansing Foam (a regular purchase of mine) so I was intrigued to see how the night serum worked in partnership.
After cleansing, I applied a drop of this clear, watery liquid to my face and neck using its pipette applicator. It disappears into the skin almost immediately and doesn’t leave a greasy residue.
The serum is supposed to help renew skin cells and boost moisture levels overnight as you sleep so you wake up the following morning with radiant and younger-looking skin. It’s scientifically proven that cells are most efficient at healing during night time sleep, which is why it’s imperative you get your beauty sleep!
Powered by bareMineral’s ActiveSoil Complex, the formula contained in this serium maximises cellular renewal and also hydrates skin overnight.
Well I’ve been following this routine for six weeks and am thrilled with the results. My face looks fresh and radiant first thing in the morning. Also the hydration is very much needed as I am presently fasting for 18 hours a day (I can’t even have water) and I am suffering from a disruptive sleep pattern as I wake up during the night to have my breakfast.
The price tag is expensive but from what I’ve noticed, most serums usually are of similar prices or higher. It’s worth bearing in mind a very small amount is used daily and I believe you will see noticeable results in a few weeks. It’s a purchase I’ve no regrets in making.
The night serum costs £38 for a 30ml bottle and is available at all Bare Escentuals boutiques and Selfridges. Visit www.bareescentuals.co.uk for more information.
Plenty of items still available in my blog sale…please have a look!
It’s been ages since I did a make-up post, hasn’t it? These are some really ancient photos taken last summer when I decided to show you a couple of Bare Minerals loose powder eyeshadows that I have in my collection. I’ve gone off using loose powder a bit lately as it is messy and the room I now get ready in has a cream carpet so it does take a bit more care to get these on my mug and nowhere else.
First up, Soul Sister. I clocked these shadows one day when meandering around Seldfridges. It was so hard to choose when they are all laid out on display, twinking and shimmering like little pots of jewels.
Look at the macro of this! It’s a gorgeous hybrid of role, gold, taupe and silver.
These shadows probably blend slightly better than other loose powders I have, such as the Barry M Dazzle Dusts, for example. They’re thicker and tend to mesh together well, so application is slightly easier. A sticky base is essential though – I use a cream eyeshadow set with a bit of powder foundation.
Soul Sister goes on quite purple. I’ve use it here over a pink shadow which was (I think) Nars Fathom. In hindsight, it could have done with a tad more buffing and blending. Ignore the tag – this was originally taken to show off the blusher for a previous post.
If you know me by now, you’ll know that “just buying one” isn’t really something in my psyche. I find it impossible to choose betwen things that I like, which is why Drama also came home with me on the same day.
Everyone needs a good taupe eyeshadow in their collection, and this is probably my favourite one (well, today, anyway). As you can see, this is a golden taupe that veers to the warm side. Super pretty.
In fact, I always gain compliments whenever I wear this one, which makes me think that naturally I should wear it more often! I’ve paired it here with a darker shade in the crease – I can’t remember exactly what it was but I think it was possibly Nars Mekong. A dark shimmery brown, any way.
So there we go. These are the only two that I have in my collection, although I’m often tempted to add more whenever I stroll past a Bare Minerals concession. What do you think? Do you have any of these? Any recommendations, or tips on how not to get this all over the carpet would be most welcome!
